


Agape

by Russian_Faerie



Series: Our Interwoven Growth and Love [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Implied/Reference Depression, Implied/Reference Kidnapping, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2018-11-29 16:37:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11444802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Russian_Faerie/pseuds/Russian_Faerie
Summary: What happen's if Harry doesn't bother to ask Molly Weasley for directions at King's Cross Station?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Finally finished, thanks for your patience. I edited it a little so it's not all of Hogwarts but rather the end with some retrospective. I just don't have that kind of time to right a whole Hogwarts retelling, sorry.
> 
> I would like to add another special thanks to those who supported me, even though you don't even know who I am. Thank you, your compassion means the world to me! As a reader on this site, I always underestimate the support I give and the effect it has on the writers of some of my favorite stories, however... from the writer perspective, your compassionate and encouraging comments make my day, fill me with warmth and motivate me. THANK YOU (Oh gosh, I might cry...)
> 
> Anyways, updating will go back to how it should have been, every Sunday... I've already posted the first couple of chapters for you guys to divulge in so have fun!

The air was electric with the energy of spells that no longer flew, and the entirety of magical Britain drew in a long breath.  
Draco heard the wails on the mourning, the exclamations of the victorious and wondered, is it worth this?  
Looking down at Harry, his chest shallowing inhaling and exhaling, Draco decided, Yes, it is.  
For now, they were free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell at me on tumblr @protagonist-masochist


	2. Malfoy Manor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stand up, Boy-Who-Lived. I will have you face me before you die.”

Draco was so frightened that he struggled to move. But the alternative of not moving was so starkly horrifying that he desperately pushed his body and ran towards the gates of Malfoy Manor, where the Dark Lord had captured Harry and held him there, waiting. For what, Draco didn’t know, perhaps the monster wanted an audience as he killed Harry.

Draco stumbles in through the main doors of his childhood home and puffed out a frustrated sigh when he realised his family had actual opened their home to the Death Eaters, evident of the heavy atmosphere that was associated with notoriously dark leader’s followers.

Usually, Draco would be running away from danger rather than into it. Call it cowardice, but Draco had nothing to do with this war (besides his parent’s involvement). While he gained an intellectual excitement in the discussion of politics, he thought that Britain had descended far past insanity.

However, Draco’s self-preservation was, is and will always be cast aside when involving matters of a particular dark-haired man named Harry Potter.

His fellow Slytherin classmate and best friend was the most important person that Draco held close, and while Draco was alive, Harry was his life. Maybe it was a matter of self-preservation when Draco ran to save Harry; he couldn’t go on without Harry.

Running into the dining room, where Draco sensed the most amount of dark magic, he was struck with the most disturbing sight that he had ever had the misfortune to witness. His aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange, a dangerous woman with too many screws loose from spending years in the wizarding prison, Azkaban, was crouched over Harry, cackling in his frightened face. Draco’s parents, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, were off to the side murmuring to each other and the Dark Lord was sat leisurely on a throne-like chair.

Draco’s worst nightmares, revitalised.

“Ah, Draco… I see you finally joined us.” The Dark Lord’s drawling voice sounded, startling Draco from his stunned focus of the situation he was in. At the sound of Draco’s name, Harry strained his neck to see him. Bellatrix cackled and slapped him across the face. The sharp sound that sparked from this urged Draco into a lurching movement in an attempt to tackle Bellatrix from over Harry’s vulnerable body.

“For Merlin’s _sake, Draco_. Calm down!”

Loathe Draco admit it, but he felt incredibly helpless to his father’s splutter to settle down.

Like a dog, Draco instinctively lurched to a stop, allowing Bellatrix to apparate to the Dark Lord’s feet, Harry with her. Harry rolled to the side and threw up– he was never the best at apparition.

Suddenly, Draco’s parents were behind him and restraining spells were put in place before he could attempt the reach Harry. Struggling, Draco yelled, “Let me go!”, sparking a laugh from the Dark Lord.

“Draco! Don’t you see? Your parents just want what’s best for you. Which means Harry Potter out of your life. Isn’t it such a coincidence that that’s my goal as well?”

As the Dark Lord stood up, Draco realised that he was the audience they were waiting for.

Draco fought against his bonds even harder.

“No! NO! Let me go, stop this right now!”

Until now, Harry had been silent under Bellatrix’s hold. But, with vomit smeared over his face and Bellatrix looming over him, he met Draco’s eyes and made an attempt to get up. Harry made it a few steps until Bellatrix used a curse Draco hadn’t heard of before to cause Harry to collapse in a fit of pained screams. Draco tried to break free while yelling Harry’s name. At the Dark Lord’s nod, Bellatrix released the curse and allowed Harry a moment to breathe before the Dark Lord commanded,

“Stand up, Boy-Who-Lived. I will have you face me before you die.”

At this Draco felt his knees go weak. Harry has died before, but Draco hates to risk it and even the thought of Harry getting only mildly hurt sends him into a swirl of anxiety. Draco watched as Harry tried to stand, struggling to find strength in his arms to lift his body, before collapsing again on the floor.

“STAND UP!”

Harry tires and fails again, earning a cackle from Bellatrix and the Cruciatus Curse for Draco. The feeling as if all his nerve endings were on fire with a pain so intense the his body was _separate to him and it kept going, there was no stop, please make it stop, oh no, no, no_ no _no_ no _no_ no _no_ no _no_ – was only broken up by a distant agonised screams and heartbreaking pleads for Voldemort to, “Stop please, I’ll do anything but please just don’t hurt _him_.”

When Draco comes to, it’s to Harry finally managing to stand up and then being subsequently killed by the Dark Lord. Past that point, Draco couldn’t remember anything but a blinding pain and a need to escape with Harry by his side.

Draco woke up at the gates of Hogwarts, with the immense relief of Harry’s heart beat, a wonderment of how he broke his family’s anti-apparition wards, the fear of nowhere to go and the sudden memory of a life debt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell at me on tumblr @protagonist-masochist


	3. Interlude One - King's Cross Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were both sorted into Slytherin and continued to be best friends for the eternity onwards.

Harry and Hagrid (a half-giant that had saved Harry from the Dursleys) made their way to King’s Cross Station, where Hagrid promptly abandoned Harry at the unfamiliar train station. Harry didn’t know where to find Platform 9 and ¾, which was the station listed on the ticket Hagrid had handed him, so he went up to someone with a uniform.

On Dudley’s television shows, the ones in uniforms always seemed as if they knew what to do.

Walking up to the man, Harry asked where he could find Platform 9 and ¾.

“Stop playing games, boy!” The man bellowed. “There is no Platform 9 and ¾. There is nine and ten.”

Sighing, Harry turned to find someone else’s help, only to be enraptured by a rather shocking sight of an extremely large and red family. They were trying to barge their way through the London crowd. However, the main thing that caught Harry attention was not their hair nor their size, but rather the words coming from a plump lady’s mouth, who was tactfully weaving her family through the throes of people. Harry hadn’t caught exactly what she said, but it defiantly involved the word, “muggle.”, a word Hagrid had only taught him earlier that day. It meant a non-magic person. The only way the lady would know that word was if she was a witch herself.

Deciding that following this family was his best way of finding the platform, Harry moved his trolley, which held his new trunk and his new pet owl Hedwig (who had been a birthday present from Hagrid). Harry would have approached them if the mother hadn’t looked so exasperated. Petunia Dursley, Harry’s aunt, had taught him to never approach someone who was already fed up with the day’s events. Aunt Petunia had said, “No one wants to deal with you when they already have had enough freakishness in the day.” His uncle Vernon had quickly agreed with her, enforcing the message with knuckles to the back of Harry’s head.

They approached a column between Platform 9 and 10 and Harry watched in fascination as the whole clan disappeared, one-by-one, through the bricks. When all of them were gone, Harry checked to make sure no one was looking before he followed the family through the seemingly solid brick wall.

Once through, Harry was met with huffing steam train and the hustle bustle of Hogwarts students and their families. A little nervous, Harry kept his head down and headed onto the train, desperately hoping to find an empty compartment. When he couldn’t, he recognised a nice blonde boy from the robe shop – ‘Draco’, Harry believed his name was – and decided that he could ask to sit with him. When Harry was greeted with a nice smile and a polite nod, him and Draco became fast friends They whiled away the rest of the train ride in seemingly under an hour.

They were both sorted into Slytherin and continued to be best friends for the eternity onwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell at me on tumblr @protagonist-masochist


	4. Life Debt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The symptoms of Harry’s mysterious and awe-some ability to return from the dead had catastrophic effects.

Harry was lax on Draco’s shoulder, sickly and vacant. _He must be exhausted,_ Draco thinks.

This was the fifth time Harry had come back from the dead and Draco ached for the pain his best friend must be feeling. The symptoms of Harry’s mysterious and awe-some ability to return from the dead had catastrophic effects. Harry’s symptoms seem to get worse every time he came back to life, as if each time he leaves more of himself on the other side and his body must recover it.

In Draco and Harry’s time attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry had suffered many ails, including poisoned pumpkin juice, a rouge Quidditch bludger a terrifying incident with the Goblet of Fire tournament and Voldemort, and finally, a detention in the Forbidden Forest gone wrong. Not only did these four incidents happen yearly (since Harry’s second year, after he spoke Parseltongue by accident), they left Harry dead and, eventually, resurrected with worsening consequences. It started out with a mild and lingering tiredness, but by the fourth time, Harry hadn’t been able to lift his head from his hospital pillow, nor was he able to wake up from a dreamy haze he had reverted into. Madam Pomphrey, the school’s mediwitch, was most puzzled by the behaviour. It had been chronic for two weeks, until suddenly he had awoken. But it had not miraculously disappeared, Harry still struggled to eat, and he described this hollow feeling he felt to Draco on numerous occasions. Harry was also tired all the time, from a combination of residue exhaustion from the resurrection and the inability to get a good night’s sleep for months on end due to nightmares. There was nothing more Draco wanted than to relieve these harrowing symptoms from his love.

Draco struggled to drag Harry into the anti-apparition wards around the Weasley hovel, the only place that Draco could think of that would possibly host them on such short notice, not that the blood traitors would be willing.

The Weasley family were a family with extremely red hair and pasty skin and were the only Pureblood family Draco could think of that wasn’t invited to the Malfoy’s annual Yule Ball. Draco asked his father once, setting the man off in a rage about how muggle toys and gadgets did not make appropriate conversation and that the Muggle-lovers were too poor anyway to be seen with the Malfoys. While Draco was learning to overcome his father’s prejudice teachings (although how could Draco blame him, Father’s father grew up with the Salem Witch Trials), he still couldn’t help the instinctive swell of hate towards the family and was secretly disgusted that he had to help from the _Weasley’s_.

Draco finally managed to drag Harry to the front door and knocked, waiting for someone to answer his call. It took Molly Weasley – the mother of the family – a while to open the door, and Draco was bemoaning the possible chill that Harry could be catching in his vulnerable state. When she did finally answer the door, her face promptly drained of its reddish tinge and she slammed the door in his face.

Draco yelled, “MRS. WEASLEY! YOU WILL LET US IN RIGHT NOW, I’M CALLING UPON THE WEALSEY LIFE DEBT.”

Back in Draco and Harry’s second year, a chamber had been opened by Salazar Slytherin’s heir and set an ancient and deadly Basilisk upon the school population. While nobody had died, Ginny – the youngest Weasley child – had been routinely possessed by Tom Riddle’s diary and had been the one to open the Chamber of Secrets. She was also the one who Riddle (currently the Dark Lord) choose to kill so as to secure his power. Luckily, Draco and Harry had discovered the situation, and looking for a way to gain an advantage over the Weasley family, had saved Ginny in order the gain a life debt. Looking back at it now, Draco was surprised they had been stupid enough to risk it, but it had been right after Harry’s first death and subsequent resurrection, making the prospect of an enormous upper hand at seemingly minimal risk on Harry’s part very inviting for the both of them.

At Draco’s yell, Mrs. Weasley reopened the door, her pallor gone and replaced with a bright fury, and glared at him.

“What do you want, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked, rather unpleasantly.

“Refuge for an undeterminable amount of time, including your discretion, an individual and private room and bathroom, food, clothing and anything else we might need during our stay.” Draco listed, watching as Mrs. Weasley’s upper lip curled.

“Okay, get in.” she sniped, opening the door further to accommodate them.

Mrs. Weasley led them through a narrow entrance way into a patchwork of a living room, where the twins, Fred and George, the Cursebreaker Bill, the Dragonologist Charles, Ministry worker Percy and finally, their father Arthur, were all sitting together. An uncomfortably large family already, but there was still two more members, Ron and Ginny herself. Draco almost groaned at the thought of having to deal with them, he was just unlucky enough that all this fell on the Summer Holidays and the whole family was home visiting.

Needless to say, the Weasleys weren’t happy about seeing Draco either, if the startled and scandalised gasps were anything to go. Draco was morbidly curious as to what the missing Weasleys’ reactions will be.

Draco didn’t have to wait long to satisfy his interest, as he was greeted by Ron with an angry yell, “What the bloody hell is Ferret One and Ferret Two doing here?!”.

Draco didn’t bother to return the greeting, instead keeping his back on Ron and lightly dropping Harry onto an empty chair. Only once he finished getting Harry into what looked like a comfortable position, Draco turned back around to greet the Weasley family. He noticed a stricken looking Ginny had followed Ron in and was being consoled by her mother. Draco and Harry saving her was a really horrifying experience for them all.

“As you know, Harry and I saved Ginny in our second year, subsequently creating a life debt. Tonight, I am offering a way to alleviate that debt by you opening your home, in an incredibly discrete manner, so as to allow Harry to heal. I am not making you privy to why we need to stay here and, no, I do not know when we are leaving. It depends entirely on Harry’s health. Trust me, I want to be here as much as you want to have me. Now, Mrs. Weasley,” Draco finished, turning to the frustrated woman, “Please take us to our room.”

With this, Mrs. Weasley spluttered, “W-well you see, it is _very_ cramped in here and we don’t have that much space to spare. So, could you possibly sleep in the living room.”

Draco was livid. “We saved your youngest daughter, and this is how you repay us?! Harry is sick, and he will be for weeks, so you will give us a private room, so I can properly attend to him with protection from your sniping remarks and snooping glances! YOU WILL MAKE ROOM!”

Mrs. Weasley turned white again and ordered Ginny to move her stuff into Arthur and Molly’s room.

“Remember,” Draco prompted, “We will need a private bathroom as well. Now please leave us in peace.” Without further a due, the family slowly trickled out with a combination of heated glares at Draco and curious glances at Harry. Once they were alone, Draco turned to Harry, crouching down before him and tenderly cupping Harry’s cheek in his palm.

“Harry, darling… Can you hear me?”

There was no answer.

***

The Weasley’s had finally coughed up Draco’s required rooms and, as Draco transfigured an old ratty table into a bed, he felt himself exhale. Settling Harry into one twin mattress, Draco pushed his transfigured one up next to it and lied down, falling asleep.

Draco dreamt of a green spell, Harry’s pained cries and heartbreak.

In the morning, Harry was still unmoving and unresponsive, the only signs he was alive were the shallow inhale and exhales and a languid blinking. Sighing, Draco curled up next to Harry’s heat for a few more minutes before dragging himself out of bed and into the adjacent bathroom. Draco was pleased to see that the Weasley family had been quick with his needs for tooth and hair brushes.

Once finished, Draco went back into their room and magicked Harry’s body clean, stomach full and bladder empty. He only knew how to do it because when Harry was previously debilitated, Draco had not left his side – even as Madam Pomphrey had done all the ‘housekeeping’ spells to prevent Harry’s health from worsening. Draco expected that Harry will be out of order for the holiday months, possibly even into the school year, considering last time this happened, it lasted for about a month and a half. Draco loathed the thought of depending on the Weasleys for so long, but those feelings were reluctantly pushed aside when Draco reminded himself that he had nowhere else to go where he could secure everything they needed.

It was going to be a long summer.

***

About one week in, Draco was driven out of the kitchen. Instead of facing the family and leaving Harry’s side, Draco now expects one of the Weasleys to bring him three meals of the day to his door.

By the second week, Draco is stir crazy and goes for the first walk outside he has had since the Weasley Situation began. When he walked down the stairs that afternoon, one of the twins snickered and told him he looked a little worse for wear. Of course, that wasn’t how they termed it.

By week three, Draco was incredibly and incurably bored. He knew it was going to be this way, especially considering he had gone through this process before. But besides the anxiety for Harry and occasional scuffles with the Weasleys, Draco had little else to stimulate his brain.

At the end of the fourth week, Draco – driven by an intense boredom – asked Bill and Charlie (seemingly the only properly educated in the household) if he could borrow any books. They had lent him an inauspicious stack and Draco began reading them aloud to Harry, in hopes that his voice will guide Harry back to consciousness.

Midway through week five, Draco’s anxiety increases tenfold with the realisation that Harry had awoken on Wednesday of week four last time, and that it was Thursday week five. He had paced the room for hours. He would sometimes stop, lay in bed with Harry and hold his hand, praying to Merlin and the muggle spiritual leader Harry had mentioned upon occasion.

Week six ended and the screams begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell at me on tumblr @protagonist-masochist


	5. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Harry, Harry! You’re safe darling, wake up now.”

Draco had been anxiously sleeping next to Harry, his hand on Harry’s chest so as to feel him breathe, when he was awoken by a grief-stricken cry from his bed partner. While panicked at first, Draco felt immense relief at the break of silence that he almost became tearful; only the tears in Harry’s eyes stopped his own and spurred Draco into action.

Sitting up, Draco gently took hold of Harry’s shoulders and shook them.

“Harry, Harry! You’re safe darling, wake up now.”

The screams tapered off at the sound of Draco’s soft exclamations and Harry slowly blinked away his nightmare. For one dreadful moment, Draco thought Harry might revert back to his dream state. But Harry blinked and cautiously sat up in his bed. Draco watched as Harry looked around before his gaze fell upon Draco and Harry gave a soft smile.

With Harry being awake, the Weasley family seemed less tense. Whether it was because Harry was the supposed saviour of the wizarding world, or if it was because it was a sign that their stay at the Weasleys was coming to an end, Draco didn’t know. However, Draco was ecstatic that Harry was awake and that they could be leaving soon. However, everything wasn’t fixed yet. Harry was immensely thin after living on substance potions for the past two months and, as is normal to his strange condition, isn’t eating well. Except, before it was just a reluctance sparked from the third resurrection, the fourth saw the progression of Harry’s loss of hunger and consequently forgetting to eat enough. This time, it seemed as if eating caused Harry pain.

Draco watched as Harry’s hand trembled as he tried to lift his spoon. He was grimacing at the small plate of food on in front of him and Draco was getting desperate; they had been there for half an hour and Harry had only taken a couple of bites.

“Please darling.” Draco pleaded, pressing a kiss to Harry’s tremble, while trying to ignore a mothering Mrs. Weasley. When she realised how thin Harry was, her ‘mother hen’ (as Harry jokingly called it) came out and she had been fluttering around the kitchen the whole time Harry struggled to eat.

“I’m _trying_ Draco, I just… can’t. It makes me want to be sick.” Harry murmured, before reluctantly – as if to prove a point – shoving a spoon of soup into his mouth and swallowing. Harry looked positively green and clenched his stomach. Draco couldn’t stand watching Harry suffer and decided that they could just try again at dinner. Draco helped Harry up and walked him back to the living room, where Bill was sitting and discussing something with his father.

Draco had not been intentionally eavesdropping, so when he sat Harry down and handed him a book he had been reading, he let out a loud exclamation at the topic of discussion. Bill and Mr. Weasley were talking about Voldemort and how he attacked Hogsmeade last night. Harry looked startled at the information as well. Draco turned to Bill and demanded he know more.

“Well,” Bill began, “Last night You-Know-Who attack Hogsmeade, made a bloody mess of the place and hurt a bunch of people.”

“About thirty.” Mr. Weasley added.

“Yeah, and he was sprouting stuff about how he killed Harry – which is impossible because Harry is sitting in front of me… What happened guys? If someone doesn’t tell the wizarding world that Harry’s still alive, it’ll descend into chaos.”

Draco glanced at Harry, silently asking permission to give the two men details on their situation. With a small nod, Draco sat down next to Harry and started explaining.

“Well, technically the Dark Lord _did_ kill Harry, but Harry came back to life. You can’t tell anyone that Harry is alive though, the Dark Lord doesn’t know.”

“WHAT!?” Both Bill and Mr. Weasley exclaimed, before Mr. Weasley carried on, “How is this possible?”

“We don’t know, we’re just thankful it did. In fact, it’s happened four other times, annually, since second year.” Draco explained, looking at the ghostly expressions on the adult’s faces.

“That sounds an awful lot like… well no it can’t be.” Bill murmured, looking nervously at his father as though Mr. Weasley might know.

Draco urged, “You have to tell me, Harry and I have been trying to figure it out for ages!”

“I-it sounds like a Horcrux.” Bill nervously said, his tone hushed and eyes looking around nervously. “They’re when someone splits their soul in half in order to achieve immortality. If one half dies, they can be resurrected with the other. Although, it seems preposterous to think that someone could do it five times!”

Draco swallowed nervously. How was this possible? It sounded like extremely dark magic, even too dark for the Malfoy family, and would likely involve an elaborate ritual… possibly a human sacrifice. It couldn’t be possible that Harry did something like this. Unless… possibly the Dark Lord had something to do with this?

With the conversation finished, Draco looked over to find an asleep Harry on his shoulder; he still had a lot of healing to do.

***

Draco had eventual passed out with Harry on the couch. They were rudely awoken a few hours later by Percy’s disgruntled commands to wake up because dinner was ready. Out of all the Weasley’s, Percy was the least accommodating, right behind Ron (who hated them) and Ginny (who was too scared to look at them).

Draco and Harry had taken to having dinner with the rest of the Weasley family. Not because they wanted to, but because over the years of Harry’s condition, Madam Pomphrey had noted that the closer Harry interacted with his friends, the faster he healed; as if being around others reenergised and infused Harry with life once again.

Draco helped Harry into the informal dining room and sat them done at the table. Harry was still incredibly weak and tired, so tired in fact that his eyes fluttered closed and his body sagged towards the table. Draco just caught him in time before his face feel in the chicken and mashed potato meal sat on the table.

The meal continued with a tense atmosphere and Draco noticed that night that Harry wasn’t showing any improvements that were typical from being around people when he finished interacting with the Weasleys.

***

Harry woke up in the middle of the night to the tell-tale crack of apparition and looked out their bedroom window. A shadowed man walked towards the house and, when he stepped into the warm glow of the house, Harry flinched and rushed to Draco’s side, frantically shaking him awake. When Draco finally came to, clasping Harry’s shaking hand and furrowed his brow as he looked blurrily at Harry.

“Darling, what’s wrong?” he murmured, clasping Harry’s shaking hand and furrowing his brows.

“Dumbledore, he’s here!” Harry harshly whispered. Draco sat up straight and kicked off the blankets covering his body.  Harry was already stepping away and grabbing the few items they had accumulated at their stay at the Weasley’s. They both tensed and looked worriedly at each other at the click of the door and a quiet Molly Weasley welcoming Dumbledore in. Immensely curious, Harry placed their things on the bed and snuck out of them room to hear better. Draco cautiously followed him.

“…said you and Percy wanted to talk about something?” Dumbledore greeted, and Harry heard Draco’s sharp exhale. Percy had been the most hostile of the Weasley bunch and Draco was very wary of the man.

“Yes, I did Dumbledore.” Percy said.

“Well, do tell, dear boy. I fear after the death of our supposed saviour, I’ve been quite busy and don’t have much time here tonight.” Dumbledore urged.

“That’s the thing Dumbledore, Harry’s not dead! He’s been staying at the Borrow this whole time.” Percy softly exclaimed.

Harry looked over at Draco and say his own fear echoed back at him – the Weasley’s had promised secrecy, but apparently their word meant nothing.

“I assumed this might happen.” Dumbledore replied. Harry could imagine the Headmaster’s head scrunching in concentration. “You see, Harry is this thing called a Horcrux – a very dark thing that I don’t have enough time to go into detail at the moment. He’s been one since he was a babe after Voldemort tried to kill him. Voldemort must have accidently tethered apart of his soul to Harry’s…”

The rest of the words drowned out under the rush in Harry’s head. He felt dizzy. A part of Voldemort was in him. He felt disgusted, as if he needed to tear his skin from his body and get the evil out, out, out! He felt Draco’s strong hand grasp at his own, where he had unknowingly started viciously scratching his arms. Harry looked down, gasping. He felt as if his lungs couldn’t get enough air and his heart was frantically trying to keep up with the lack of oxygen.

“Everything will be fine Harry.” Draco whispered. “We are going to figure this out. I promise.”

With Draco’s eyes held on his own, Harry was able to listen again.

“-been trying to cleanse Harry of it as well as trying to weaken Voldemort. I killed Harry each year in hopes of getting rid of Voldemort’s soul… but Harry kept exhibiting traits and I had to keep going. It seemed as if Harry’s life force could be drawn from the other Horcrux’s and he would, thankfully, just come back to life.”

Harry felt sick and Draco seemed to have decided that they heard enough because he dragged Harry back to their room, grabbed their stuff and left through the window. A scribbled note was left saying that the Weasley’s were still in debt because they had, “…sold us out like rats!”.


	6. Malfoy Estate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shall we see what chaos the world has been up to under the guise that their beloved savoir has perished, darling?”

They apparated to an elaborate estate, not quite a manor, and Draco winced. He had taken them to the first place he could think of and it just happened to be his sixteenth birthday present from his parents. He had no idea if he could still trust them. Harry looked up at the estate with fear.

“Draco, are you sure about this?” Harry asked.

Draco was not sure about this, but they didn’t have much of a choice. Number 12 Grimmauld Place, a dreary establishment that Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black, had assured them would be safe, would have been a greater risk – especially after what they had just heard Dumbledore discussing a moment ago. While technically Harry’s, the place had been taken over by Dumbledore and his associates. Draco and Harry had been trying to get it back when Harry had been kidnapped. At least here, Draco had control over the wards as it was past his sixteenth. For all intents and purposes, this place was his. The only knowledge his parents about it was its property value and location.

Draco said yes to reassure Harry, he had enough on his mind anyways.

“But your parents Draco… won’t they know this location. It is their estate.” Harry asked, nervously looking around – his eyes lingering on the wrought iron words of ‘Malfoy Estate’ on the door.

“Mine actually, and yes they know the location, but I trust them to keep it from the Dark Lord. Besides, I have control over all the wards.”

Harry chewed off a thumbnail, spitting it on the ground before turning to Draco.

“I don’t know Draco… not anything against you but wouldn’t Voldemort be able to break through your wards?”

“Well I’m sure he would be able to Harry, but we don’t have any other choice!” Draco snapped, throwing his hands up in the air before pushing past the gate and up to the front door. Sighing, he turned back around and continued,

“Harry, I trust my parents… I know you don’t, but I do and we both can’t deny that they wouldn’t do anything to put me in danger. Meaning, they wouldn’t rat this place out because in all likelihood, this would be where I would go to recover, especially with all the medical supplies. Besides, the Dark Lord, and all of wizarding Britain, think your dead Harry. There is no reason for my parents to give this estate location away and there is no reason for the Dark Lord to still be searching for you.”

Realising that the harsh tone Draco used did little to sooth Harry’s anxiety, Merlin knows it would have only infuriated Draco if the situation had been reversed, he softened his face and offered Harry a hand.

“Come on darling, I promise we will be safe here.”

Hesitantly, Harry stepped forward, took Draco’s hand and whispered, “Okay”.

They both stepped inside, and Draco flicked his wand to quickly refresh the place. All the white sheets covering the expensive furniture disappeared, the dust blew away and all the candles lit up.

“Home, sweet home.” Harry said, using a muggle expression Draco had never heard of.

Draco dragged Harry up to the bedroom and they finished their interrupted sleep.

***

Harry decided to wake Draco with breakfast. He had been looking after Harry for a while with the whole dead thing and Harry hated that he had not been recuperating Draco’s efforts with their relationship (even though he physically wasn’t able to). Harry also felt bad about the incident of doubt had felt towards Draco last night. Normally, Harry wouldn’t feel guilty for expressing his concerns, but this was regarding Draco’s family – a sensitive subject if there ever was one. Besides, Draco did have a point. They didn’t have anywhere else to go.

Despite being determined to find the kitchen, Harry instead stumbled upon a house elf with a tray in its hands, with the newspaper on top.

“Here is dinner, Master’s friend.” The thing said, giving the full tray to Harry.

Shrugging, Harry figured he couldn’t just throw away the breakfast the kind creature gave him and thought that he could just make it up to Draco later.

Harry walked back into his room to a slightly awake Draco, a mirror to the night before. He set the tray down.

“Morning, Dray.” Harry whispered, pecking Draco cheek. Draco leaned into it and noticed the tray of food.

“Thank Merlin, I am ravaged for food!” Draco smiled, kissing Harry back and grabbing a piece of buttered toast. “It’s so nice that I can eat without one of the blasted red heads looking at me. Merlin, they were annoying!”

Harry chuckled and picked up some toast for himself and began eating. He felt light with Draco in this bedroom, relaxing and eating breakfast. It had been months since they could just _be_ together like this. Harry had missed his best friend dearly.

They finished up eating and Draco grabbed the newspaper.

“Shall we see what chaos the world has been up to under the guise that their _beloved_ savoir has perished, darling?” Draco chuckled, eliciting a laugh from Harry.

Harry was anything but beloved by the press or magical Britain. But he did represent their important Boy-Who-Lived character, so their reaction would be interesting to see.

Draco unfolded the Daily Prophet and his smile promptly fell from his face. Harry cursed whatever caused such mournful expression on Draco’s face.

“H-Harry, they know that you’re alive.” Draco whispered, body hunched over and fingers angrily wrinkling the paper. Harry felt his heart rate sky rocket and acidic fear in the back of his throat. They’re cover was blown. If the paper knew that Harry was alive, Voldemort did too. Draco put the paper down and shoved the food away, reaching for Harry and whispering into his neck, “We’ll figure something out.”, over and over.


	7. Exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "...There is no shame is running, no shame in surviving – despite what everyone seems to think. This isn’t your battle, it isn’t your fault…"

The newspaper declaring Harry’s life sat between them. Harry noticed that Draco seemed to be holding his breath, awaiting Harry’s reaction. He knew that he would have to go back now that Voldemort has declared official war. There wasn’t much time, the article stated that he planned to attack Hogwarts midday.

“Draco…I have to go. I have to help them.” Harry whispered, clenching on Draco’s arm.

Harry heard Draco’s breath hitch and looked up to meet his smoky eyes.

“You can’t Harry, you’ll die!” Draco exclaimed, grabbing hold of Harry’s shoulders and shaking him.

“No, I won’t. I never stay dead, Draco! I’ll be fine, I’ll come back to life. But normal people, they’ll die. I’m the Boy-Who-Lived… it’s my _destiny_ Draco and I can’t just leave them there to save myself!”

“Yes, you can! You’re Slytherin, aren’t you? There is no shame is running, no shame in surviving – despite what everyone seems to think. This isn’t your battle, it isn’t your fault… you have nothing to do with this bloody mess. By Merlin, Harry! This war started before we were both born!”

They sat in silence, their words in between them and Harry chewed his thumbnail. He knew that it had nothing to do with him and he didn’t want to go fight alongside people who he didn’t care for… but it was his destiny and, well in a way it was his fault. If Harry hadn’t been born, then Voldemort would probably have been defeated a lot sooner and they wouldn’t be in this mess.

“I have to Dray… do you get that?”

“No, I don’t understand, and I don’t think I ever will! The wizarding world has scorned you since you were sorted into Slytherin. They couldn’t look past their own prejudices to see what a wonderful man you are Harry, and I can’t stand it! I love you, and these people have hurt you and me and our friends, and now you are willing to die for them? What foolishness!

Harry felt a sting at Draco’s words, not because Draco hurt him but rather because what he said was true. Why did Harry feel the need to help people who seemed to hate him? Who would willing hurt Draco? But Harry couldn’t help it, he felt that he would never forgive himself if he didn’t help them.

“You know who else has hurt us, Draco? Voldemort. And these people are fighting Voldemort and if we help them then we have a chance to be free. Then we can leave to wherever you want to run to. And we can be happy. We could go to France like we talked about. But if we don’t defeat Voldemort, then we will never stop looking over our shoulders, and we will always be paranoid that he is about to hurt us.”

“By Merlin, Harry! I beg you to remember last night, we can’t even trust the people on the supposed Light side. They’re all the same. They’re all willing to…to sell us out like rats!”

“I know… I’m still going Dray. You can’t change my mind on this.”

With this, Draco’s face went red and he leapt to his feet and stomped from their room. Harry wished he could go back and change the conversation, but he knew that it wouldn’t help anything – Draco would still be hurt, and Harry would still be going.

***

Draco walked back into the room a while later to find Harry dressed for travel and tying his shoe laces. Draco’s nerves stood on end as he watched Harry looking up at him. It was clear that he didn’t want to leave Draco, but Draco couldn’t help but feel like he was desperately trying to cling to something that just wasn’t going to happen. He couldn’t help it. Harry was everything to Draco; his darling and he wasn’t going to allow some idiotic war to get in between them.

“I’m coming with you.” Draco stated, grabbing his coat. Harry’s face lost blood and he violently shook his head.

“No Draco, you can’t. This is my fight and my destiny. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

“Like hell, I’m letting you go by yourself to some awful war and not come with you. You are my best friend Harry. I love you and I will not let anything come in between us. Whether that is distance, death, or some snake-like bastard, I refuse!” Draco yelled, clenching his fists. “If you are going to do this then I’m going to support you because that’s what friends do and that’s what we do.”

“But you can die Draco. I’ll come back, but you won’t. I can’t stand the thought of fighting in this war and coming out the other side, only to be greeted with your dead body, because then what is the point?! What is the point of freedom if I can’t share it with you?”

“What is the point? Harry, I need to be there to protect you. You heard what Dumbledore and Bill said, you’re a Horcrux. You don’t have infinite lives, you only have as many as the Dark Lord decided to make. And even if you were to die, you would come back on a war field. The state that you’ll be in would only welcome someone else to kill you again!”

Draco watched Harry’s face struggle with the facts. It was harsh and red when Harry responded with a quiet, “Fine, come along and get yourself killed.”, before he stood up and walked from the room.

Draco would have felt a sick triumph if it weren’t for the fact they were going to their deaths.

***

After their fight, Draco left Harry for a bit, knowing the man had an enormous temper that needed to be dampened. But, after about ten minutes, he went to find Harry had made them lunch. Actually, time as well, not stolen from some Malfoy house elf. Draco walked in, reached up to a smear of mustard on Harry’s face and brushed his thumb against it.

“I love you, Harry. I want you to know that… even when I fight with you. I will love you now and into forever.” Draco whispered, looking into Harry’s bright eyes. Emerald, like the House that they bonded within.

“I love you too, Draco. I’m… sorry that we fought. I only want to keep you safe, Dray.”

“And I you, Harry. The thought of you gone from this world permanently, seizes my heart. I would be lost without you.”

With that, Draco picked up a sandwich and pecked Harry on the nose. Once they finished eating their lunch, they got ready to go.

Harry stood in front of Draco, hands trembling as he presses his fingers against Draco’s cheekbones. There were no words to be said… nothing that could comfort his love for he himself could not be comforted either. So, all Draco did was lean into Harry’s soft touches and closed his eyes. For a moment, he imagined a life away from all of this. They would have that nice house in France. Horse stables and a white cat like the one Draco had when he was younger. Harry would have his own Quidditch field and a duelling room. They would have each other and safety, and they would be happy. Draco wanted a life with Harry, not a moment cut off by a war they wanted no part of.

“Let’s go.” Harry whispered, pressing a firm kiss to Draco’s forehead where a worry crease had driven in.

They apparated.

***

With how late Harry and Draco had discovered the whole attack shindig that Voldemort had planned, they only arrived about half an hour before midday, and therefore were met with the last preparations. Professor McGonigal, the transfiguration teacher, had commanded a bunch of statues into life and they were getting into place guarding the border of Hogwarts. Younger students were being ushered about back to safety in the dorm rooms. Older students were looking ill with fright. Teachers were whispering about battle plans. No one noticed them until a small first year burst into happy tears at the sight of them.

“The Saviour is here!” she cried.

With that, everyone looked towards Harry with expectation. The teachers and older students made their way over to them. Harry felt the pressure of their lives settle onto his chest. Draco tightly grasped his hand.

“Mr. Potter, I was beginning to think you weren’t going to show up!” Professor McGonigal greeted tartly. “Anyways, now that you’re here, there are spare battle robes in the Great Hall, I suggest you and Mr. Malfoy suit up and make your way over here for the beginning.”

Harry smiled and nodded, tense with the sudden responsibility and was dragged by Draco over to the Great Hall. He didn’t want to do this, but he felt as if he had no choice. He felt as if he were to leave, he would die from the shame of it. Harry had been told the moment that he entered within the Wizarding World, that he was their saviour. That it was his responsibility to save them all and to kill Voldemort. Looking back, Harry resented this and knew that his feelings were based on some sick indoctrination, however when he was younger it was a dream. While embarrassed of the attention, he was _hungry for it._

When his parents, Lily and James Potter, were killed by Voldemort to get to _him,_ he was sent to live with his Aunt Petunia’s family. Vernon and Petunia Dursley left a lot to be desired, including the parenting and attention Harry needed while growing up. Instead, he was given cold glares, verbal abuse and heavy chores and bruises from Vernon and Harry’s cousin, Dudley.

Deprived from love for the most critical and formative years of his life, he was starved and would have done anything for the attention of the Wizarding World, even if he didn’t want it at times. Now, the only reason he gave into helping them was to alleviate the confining guilt and to save Draco from the dangers of Voldemort. Really fucked that up, with Draco insisting he came with. Harry wished he had secretly left, even if it made Draco hate him. Anything would be better than Draco in danger.

Draco and Harry arrived at the Great Hall and Draco pulled him aside and asked,

“Harry, are you alright?”

Obviously, Harry must of hand a distressed look on his face, as he often did when he thought of these things.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about how I got here. How I wish things were different.” Harry replied.

“Are you sure you want to do this, darling? I know you have this stupid guilt thing going on, but honestly? No one will blame you for leaving.”

“You know that’s not true, Dray. You probably will be the only one who won’t want to murder me for leaving. We’ll both be shunned from the Wizarding World. That’s not something I want for either of us, especially not you. I have to do this, so we can go one with the rest of our lives.”

“But what if you die for real this time, Harry?! There will be no life if you die or I die… no home in France that we talked about, no cat or duelling room… Harry are you really willing to risk this to get rid of some snaky man with a temper?” Draco tried to reason, sounding slightly hysteric. Harry could relate… he felt the same way.

“Draco, I’m not willing to risk us, I’m willing to risk me. You being here is the worst possible thing for me. I’ll come back to life, but you won’t… please go home Draco. Just wait this out.”

Draco leaned forward and kissed him gently of the cheek.

“You know I can’t do that, darling. What would you do if our positioned switched?”

Harry knew that Draco had a point.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, is all.”

With this, Draco folded Harry into his arms and they clung to each other, before reluctantly pulling apart and getting changed.


End file.
